Gun perforator



L. vSPENC:ER

Dec' 15, 1941 GUN PERFORATOR Filed Feb 6, 1941 Patented Dec. 16, 1941 2,266,342 GUN PEaFonA'roa Lloyd Spencer, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a

corporation of Delaware I Application February 6, 1941, Serial No. 377,595

11 Claims. (Cl. 164-05) My invention relates to gun perforators designed to be lowered on a cable into a well casing for the purpose of opening the well to fluids contained in the surrounding formation. Among the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a gun perforator which employs preloaded independent gun units which may be readily assembled for operation and disassembled for cleaning and reloading;

Second, to provide a gun perforator of the sectional or independent gun unit type which is particularly compact, that is, a relatively large number of gun units may be contained in a given length of gun perforator;

Third, to provide a gun perforator which incorporates a novel electrical firing system whereby each gun unit may be iired individually;

Fourth, to provide a gun perforator wherein the gun bore occupies a maximum percentage of the available diameter; and

Fifth, to provide a gun perforator incorporating gun units which, although capable of particularly compact arrangement, have removable gun barrels.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my gun perforator;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view at right angles to Figure 1, with the side plates partialtlg broken away to expose several of the gun um Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through 3 3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view in the same plane as Figure 3, showing in section the gun cartridge and its electrical connection with the conductor cable.

My gun perforator comprises a plurality, of gun units I and each gun unit comprises a g'un block 2 which is substantially square in verticalv section and which extends laterally from one side to the other of the gun perforator. The gun block is provided with a gun barrel socket 3 which is internally threaded and which extends into the gun block from one end. At the inner end of the gun barrel socket there is formed a cartridge chamber l of smaller diameter than the gun barrel socket and forming therewith a shoulder 5. The inner end of the cartridge chamber B is preferably spherical and is located as close to the remaining end of the gun block as the explosive forces generated within the cartridge chamber permits.

Each gun block 2 receives a gun barrel 6 which is externally threaded. The gun barrel is provided with a gun bore 'l and receives a bullet 8.

end of the gun barrel; the gasket, being imperforate, forms a seal against fluids entering the gun bore or between the threads connecting the gun barrel to the' gun block. Preferably the inner end of the gun bore is slightly countersunk and the gasket conforms thereto.

The cartridge chamber 4 receives a cartridge I0 which comprises a shell II of insulating material which conforms to the semi-spherical inner end of the chamber. The shell II. is covered at its outer end by a cap I2 formed of metal and having a skirt I3 which ts into a rudimentary counterbore provided at the outer end of the cartridge chamber, as shown best in Figure 4. The base of the cap I2 is shaped to conform to the countersunk inner end of the bore, and is sufficiently strong to resist hydrostatic pressures. Also, the cap is adapted to resist the initial explosive pressures. This has the effect of increasing the acceleration of the bullet once the cap ruptures and, therefore, for a given length of gun bore, tends to increase the velocity of the bullet and its penetration. The skirt I3 tends to restrict the pressure area against the barrel to thediameter of the cartridge chamber.

The cartridge shell I I is provided with terminal clips I4 secured in its side walls and between which extends a fuse wire I5. One of the clips (not shown) is grounded. An explosive mixture I6 fills the cartridge.

The cartridge chamber l is intersected by a lead port I1 which extends laterally, the inner end of which is countersunk or recessed, as indicated by I8. The recess I8 receives a metal terminal ball I9, while a lead wire 20 extends through the port I1. Insulation 2| is provided between the terminal ball I9 and the recess, as well as around the lead Wire. These parts are maintained as small as possible and the ball member forms a valve to seal the lead port when.

the cartridge is discharged.

At its outer end the lead port communicates with a recess in which is fittedan insulation pad 22. The lead extends outwardly through the pad and is bent along the side ofthe gun to form a terminal.

The vertical sides of each gun block are provided with'dovetail bosses 23 having undercut or dovetail vertical margins. The several gun units are adapted to be mounted between side plates 24 which are provided along their margins with dovetail ribs 25 adapted to coact with the bosses 23, so that the gun blocks may be slipped verti- The bullet 8 is preferably spotwelded or otherwise cally between the pair of side plates. The gun units and side plates are complementary; that is, they form a structure of circular cross section, the ends of the gun blocks being rounded in conformity with the curvature of the outer .sides of the side plates. Between the dovetail ribs 25 each side plate is provided with a conductor channel 26 which receives a cable 2l.

y Each cable 21 is made of a plurality of con' plate 29 which may be in the form of a molded insert on the inner surface of the cable. The inner surfaces of the cable contact the sides of the dovetail bosses 23 of the gun block and the contact plates 29 are so positioned that when the gun blocks are fitted between the side plates the contact plates 29 register with the insulation pads 22 and thereby contact the outer ends of the corresponding leads 20.

The lower ends of the side plates are joined by a foot spacer member 30 which may have the' same transverse section as the gun block and through which extend bolts 3l. Similarly, the upper ends of the side plates are joined to a head member 32 and held there bybolts 33. The con` ductor channels 26 preferably overlap the sides of the hea-d member and communicate with a central passage 34 provided therein.

The head member is joined to a case containing a stepping switch or similar controller (not shown) which in turn is connected with a. single conductor cable. The stepping switch is adapted to connect each of the gun units through their respective conductors 28 to a source of electrical energy so that they may be red in sequen`ce.

The gun perforator is assembled as follows: The several gun units are preloaded with cartridges and bullets, and the lead wires 2D are positioned. The gun units are then slipped between the side plates from the bottom and the lower spacer member 30 is secured in place. The multiple conductor cables 21 remain permanently in the side plates.

Various changes and alternate arrangements may be made within the scope of the appended from each chamber through a side wall ofsaid block; said gun blocks adapted to be stacked; retaining means coacting with the sides of said gun blocks, said retaining means and stack of gun blocks being complementary to deiine a claims, in which itis my intention to claim all novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.

I claim l. A gun perforator comprising: a plurality of gun units adaptedbto be stacked in a. column: retainer plates extending axially along the sides of said gun units; and longitudinally extending interlocking rib and channel means incorporating said gun units and said retainer plates.

2. A gun perforator comprising: a plurality ofindependent gun blocks, each having therein a bullet and a powder charge and adapted-to .be stacked to form a composite column; electrical means for firing said cartridges including a lead from each cartridge to a side oi.' the corresponding block; retainer plates covering opposite sides of said blocks; means interlocking said blocks and retainer plates` to forma unitary assembly; and electrical connector means carried by said retainer plates along the sides of said blocks and electrically associated with said leads.

3. A gun perforator comprising: a 'pli/n'alitxiv cylinder of circular cross section; and means carried by said retaining means and adapted to make electrical connection with said leads.

5. A gun perforator comprising: a plurality of gun blocks;` a gun unit incorporated in each gun block; said gun blocks adapted to be stacked in abutting relation with each other, said gun blocks dening jointly longitudinally extending rib elements on their opposite sides; and longitudinally extending coi/er plates adapted to c0- act with said ribs.

6. A gun perforator comprising: a pair of longi tudinally extending side plates of substantially segmental cross section, defining therebetween a slot having along its side walls longitudinally extending interlocking elements; and a plurality of gun units each including a gun block complementary to said side plates and adapted to slide axially between said side plates and having coacting interlocking elements, said gun blocks adapted to be stacked one on top of the other to form a column substantially the length of said cover plates.

7. A gun perforator construction, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said sid-e plates incorporate electrical conductors and terminal means, and said gun units are adapted to be fired electrically and incorporate coacting terminal means.`

8.-A gun perforator construction, as set forth y in claim 6, wherein said side plates incorporate electrical conductors and terminal means, and said gun units are adapted to be fired electrically and incorporate coacting terminal means.

9. A gun perforator comprising: a pair of longitudinally extending side plates of substantially segmental cross section; conductors extending longitudinally in said side plates; a plu- -rality of gun units adapted to be stacked between and complement said side plates to form a cylindrical gun structure; each gun unit including an electrically responsive cartridge; and connecting means for joining the gun units to the conductors` when4 said gun units are positioned between side plates.

10. A gun perforator comprising: a pair of said -longitudinally extending side plates of substantially segmental cross section, each side plate having marginal dovetail ribs; a plurality of gun units including gun blocks adapted to tit between .rand complement said side plates to form a gun of gun blocks, 'each gun block' defining-a gun;l barrel socket and a4 cartridge chamber at 'the inner end of said socket, said block being sub-'-` stantially square in vertical section: a gun barrel having a gun bore and adapted to teach socket; a bullet for each barrel; a cartridge for each chamber; said gun blocks adapted to be stacked;

longitudinally lextending .side plates;` and channel and rib means incorporating the sides of said gun blocks and said side plates, said side plates and stack of gun block-s being complementary to dene a cylinder ofcircular cross section.

4. A gun perforator comprising: a. plurality of gun blocks, each gun block defining a gun barrel structure of generally cylindrical form, said side plates having ribs along each side adapted to dovetail with the marginal ribs of said side plates totief said side plates together, but permitting longitudinal movement of said gun units therealong.

11. A construction, as set forth in claim 10,

I wherein channels are formed in said side plates for the accomodation of conductors, and said gun units are electrically responsive and electrically connected by terminal elements to said conductors when placed between said side plates. LLOYD SPENCER. 

